The federal government’s carbon-pricing mechanism (aka the carbon tax) will come into effect on July 1 and, although it has been widely covered in the media, it is not yet clear what the impact on individual sectors will be. In a nutshell, the tax will require Australia’s top-500 carbon emitters to pay $23 a tonne [...]

Italy has become the latest country to commit to the introduction of a carbon tax, in a move aimed at  generating funds for the nation’s renewable energy production. The Italian government announced the plan after a cabinet meeting late on Monday, having raised the 2020 renewable energy targets last week while cutting production incentives to [...]

European plane maker Airbus says that as part of international anger over the EU’s emissions program for airlines (the EU ETS tax), China has put orders for 55 big Airbus planes on hold, costing it US$14 billion in revenue and potentially risking more than 2000 jobs. Under the EU ETS, any carrier operating from an [...]

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has rejected claims small businesses will be hurt by the carbon emissions tax, as one of the nation’s richest men flagged a High Court challenge against the incoming pricing regime. Mining magnate Clive Palmer’s lawyers are investigating possible grounds to challenge the carbon tax laws, which passed parliament in November. Opposition [...]